Cymbal supports



F. J. LA LONDE CYMBAL SUPPORTS Feb. 2, 1965 Filed Aug. 15, 1963 INVENT OR Fez-0 J. LA 101v BY Ma i ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,167,995 CYMEAL SUPPGRTS Fred J. La Londe, 1604 Valerie Place, Santa Barbara, Calif. Filed Aug. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 302,400 3 Claims. (Cl. 84-421) This invention relates to an improvement in cy-mbal suports and deals with a means of supporting a pair of cymbals in superimposed relation so that they may be drawn together by means of pressure upon a foot pedal.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a cymbal support which is simple and relatively inexpensive to produce, and which is readily adjustable. The support is arranged in such a manner that the cymbals are supported by a telescoping standard, permit-ting the height at which the cymbals are supported to be quickly and easily adjusted.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a device of the type described in which the cymbals are resiliently held in spaced relation, and which may permit the cymbals to be brought together by flexing the resilient means. The tension of the resilient means is readily adjustable so that a greater or lesser pressure is required to bring the cymbals together, and to draw them apart when released.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a cymbal support which is in the form of a bellcrank lever pivoted intermediate its ends, one end of the lever being connected to the center of the movabse cymbal. In preferred form, the lower cymbal is resiliently supported in relatively fixed position, and the upper cymbal which is supported by the bellcrank lever, raises and lowers. A U-shaped arm is pivotally supported by the bracket which supports the bellcrank lever. A spring connects the ends of the U-shaped arm, and this spring extends about the other end of the bellcrank lever. By adjusting the position of the U-shaped member, the tension on the bellcrank lever may be increased or decreased.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a device of the type described in which the upper cymbal is moved downwardly by means of a flexible wire which is connected to the center of the upper-movable cymbal and extends through the center of the lower fixed cymbal. The lower end of this wire is adjustably connected to a foot pedal lever pivotally connected to one of the legs supporting the upright standard. By pivoting the foot pedal, the upper cymbal may be pulled downwardly with a desired force.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a device of the type described in which the standard is supported by a base including a series of angularly spaced radially projecting legs. These legs are pivotally connected to the base so as to swing up against the standard to conserve space when the apparatus is not in use.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims:

In the drawings, forming a part of the specification;

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus in readiness for use.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view through the upper portion of the cymbal support to show the construction thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view through the lower portion of the supporting stand.

The cymbal support is indicated in general by the numeral A and includes a base plate including a central boss 11 from which extends a tubular standard 12. A tube or rod 13 is telescoped into the hollow standard 12 and is held in adjusted position by means of a set screw 14. The base plate is stabilized by a plurality of angularly spaced legs .15 which are hingedly connected to the base plate It) by hinges 16 extending transversely with respect to the length of the legs. Screws such as 17 extend upwardly through the base plate 10 and into the legs to hold the legs in standard supporting position. When the device is not in use, the screws may be loosened and the legs 15 folded upwardly against the standard.

A generally L-shaped arm 19 is provided intermediate its ends with a depending hollow socket 20 proportioned to receive the upper tubular member 13. A thumb screw 21 extends through the socket 2i) and may be tightened against the standard member 13 to hold the arm in place. The arm 19 includes a horizontally extending portion 22 from which the socket 20 depends, and a right angularly turned extremity 23. This extremity 23 is provided with a bifurcated upper end 24 adapted to accommodate a bellcrank lever 25. A pivot 25 extends through the bifurcated end 24 and through the center portion of the bellcrank lever 25 to pivotally connect the bellcrank lever to the arm 19.

One arm 27 of the bellcrank lever 25 extends in a generally horizontal direction. A bar 29 is slidably supported in a socket 3G and an end of the lever 25, the bar being secured in adjusted relation by a wing nut 31. A cymbal 32 is centrally attached to the arm 29 by a bolt 33 and a wing nut 34.

The central or base portion 35 of a U-shaped rod 36 is pivotally supported in an aperture 37 through the arm 19 at the juncture between the horizontal end 22 and the vertical end 23 thereof. The arm 36 is held in adjusted position by means of a bolt 39. A coil spring 40 connects the parallel ends of the U-shaped rod 36 near the ends thereof, the spring bearing against the downwardly extending arm 41 of the bellcrank lever 25. The tension of the spring 4! against the arm 41 may be adjusted by pivoting the U-shaped rod 36.

As indicated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, a second cymbal 4 3 is supported by the horizontal arm 22 of the Lshaped arm 19 in alignment with the upper cymbal 32. A hollow externally threaded tube 44 extends through the arm end 22, through a rubber suction cup 45, and through the center of the cymbal 43. Nuts 46 and 47 hold the lower cymbal 43 in place. A flexible Wire 49 is anchored in the head 50 of the bolt 33, and extends downwardly through the tube 44 for attachment with the end of the foot pedal 51.

A pair of cars 52 extends upwardly from the leg 15 near the outer end thereof, and a pivot 53 extends through these cars and through the foot pedal to pivotally connect the foot pedal to the leg. The opposite end of the foot pedal is bifurcated as indicated at 54 and a pin or bolt 55 extends across the notch of the bifurcated end. A clamp 56 is provided for connecting the wire 49 with the foot pedal 51. The clamp 56 includes a pair of parallel openings 57, one of which is intersected by an internally threaded aperture, not illustrated, which supports a thumb screw 59. The wire 4? extends downwardly through one of the openings 57, loops around the pin or bolt 55, and the end of the wire extends upwardly through the opening 57 intersected by the aperture accommodating the thumb screw 59. By tightening this thumb screw 59, the wire 49 is held in an adjusted position.

The operation of the apparatus is believed obvious from the foregoing description. By applying downward pressure to the foot pedal 51, the upper cymbal 32 is pulled downwardly against the lower cymbal 43. As soon as the downward pressure is released, the upper cymbal 32 is drawn upwardly by the spring 40. The force with which this rebounding action takes place may be adjusted by 3 adjusting the tension of the spring 40 upon the arm 41.

In accordance with the patent statutes, 1 have described the principles of construction and operation of my improvement in cymbal supports, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Iclaim:

1. A cymbal support including abase,

a standard supported by said base,

a generally horizontal arm supported by said standard,

a first cymbal resiliently supported at one end of said arm,

a lever pivotally connected to the other end of said arm and extending over said first cymbal,

resilient means urging said lever away from said first cymbal,

a second cymbal supported by said lever above said first cymbal,

foot pedal means hingedly connected to said base, and

a flexible connector connecting said second cymbal and said foot pedal and extending through the center of said first cymbal.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which lever comprises a bell crank lever pivoted to said arm intermediate its ends, one end of said lever supporting said second cymbal and the other end of said lever engaging said resilient means.

3. The structure of claim 1 and in which said base includes a center portion and a series of radially extending legs hinged thereto on axes tangent to a circle about the axis of said standard.

4. A cymbal support including a base,

a standard extending upwardly from said base,

an arm on said standard and extending laterally therefrom,

a first cymbal secured to said arm in generally fixed relation thereto,

a lever pivotally connected intermediate its ends to said arm and having one end extending over the axis of said first cymbal,

a second cymbal secured to said one end of said lever and overlying said first cymbal,

a bracket hinged to said arm on an axis parallel the pivot axis of said lever,

said bracket having a pair of arms straddling the other end of said lever,

a spring connecting said last named arms and engagd ing the said other end of said lever to urge said cymbals apart,

means for holding said bracket in an adjusted position to cause said spring to engage said other end of said lever with a predetermined tension, and

means for moving said cymbals into contact.

5. The structure of claim 4 and in which said standard includes a generally horizontal arm supporting said first cymbal,

an upstanding end on said arm pivotally supporting said lever,

6. The structure of claim 5 and in which said other end of said lever is movable toward and away from the lower portion of said upstanding arm end.

7. The structure of claim 5 and in which said other end of said lever is movable toward and away from the lower portion of said upstanding arm end, said bracket being pivotally connected to said arm near the lower portion of said upstanding end.

8. A cymbal support including a base,

a standard supported by said base,

a generally horizontal arm supported by said standard,

a first cymbal resiliently supported at one end of said arm,

the other end of said arm extending upwardly,

a lever pivotally connected between its ends to upper end of said upwardly extending arm and on an axis normal to a vertical plane through the axis of said first cymbal,

a bracket pivotally secured to said arm on an axis parallel to and below said lever axis,

said bracket including a pair of arms straddling one end of said lever,

spring means connecting the arms of said pair and engaging said lever to urge the other end of said lever away from said first cymbal,

a second cymbal supported by said lever above said first cymbal,

foot pedal means hingedly connected to said base, and

a flexible connector connecting said second cymbal and said foot pedal and extending through the center of said first cymbal.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,417,972 DArcy Mar. 25, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 565,460 Great Britain Nov. 10, 1944 

1. A CYMBAL SUPPORT INCLUDING A BASE, A STANDARD SUPPORTED BY SAID BASE, A GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY ARM SUPPORTED BY SAID STANDARD, A FIRST CYMBAL RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED AT ONE END OF SAID ARM, A LEVER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID ARM AND EXTENDING OVER SAID FIRST CYMBAL, RESILIENT MEANS URGING SAID LEVER AWAY FROM SAID FIRST CYMBAL, A SECOND CYMBAL SUPPORTED BY SAID LEVER ABOVE SAID FIRST CYMBAL, FOOT PEDAL MEANS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID BASE, AND A FLEXIBLE CONNECTOR CONNECTING SAID SECOND CYMBAL AND SAID FOOT PEDAL AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE CENTER OF SAID FIRST CYMBAL. 